THE AFFECTIVE PERSONALITY: ITS RELATION TO QUALITY OF SLEEP, WELL-BEING AND STRESS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess whether or not there is an association between different types of affective personality and sleep quality. Ninety-one individuals, of whom 50 were healthy and 41 were patients with stress-related problems, responded to Positive and Negative Affect Scales (PANAS; Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988), Sleep Quality (SQ; Gillberg, 2004), Diurnal Type Scale (DTS; Thorsvall, Åkerstedt, 1980), Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HAD; Hermann, 1997), Life Orientation Test (LOT; Scheier, & Carver, 1985), Stress and Energy (SE; Kjellberg, & Iwanowski, 1989) and sleep-related questions. Results indicated that Self-actualizing individuals (high PA and low NA) reported the best sleep quality particularly in comparison to Self-destructive individuals (low PA and high NA). Individuals with a low level of NA (Self-actualizing and Low affective individuals) reported less stress. The High affective individuals (high PA and high NA) reported high levels of stress, high anxiety, as well as the second best quality of sleep and a high degree of optimism and energy. The results suggests that individuals who display high positive affectivity, optimism and a high level of energy achieve a better sleep quality, and that this phenomenon may be true even when these individuals experience high levels of stress.